Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-02-20
CROW CROW /!
PrMBIHr0H- Irs ENTERPRISES AND
ITS SURROUNDINGS.
The New Depot Manufseturss-A Poultry
Raising Hstablishment--How
it 10 Conducted.

[Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatch
PENrEgTos, GoocHLAyD COUNTY, I
February IL, 1887.
/ venture to send you few items
from this rapidly-improving and grow
ing section on the Richmond and Ale
gbany railroad. 1t is situated about
forty-six miles from Richmond and
across the river from the town OF Car
tersville, in Cumberland county Penn
berton is now the railroad station, Just
as in old times it was the canal wharf.
from which passengers and freight are
embarked and disembarked for o large
section of country on both sides of the
river. In those canal days the place
was better known as Gainesville.
THE NEW DEPOT.
For long time the railroad company
used temporary freight-house nearly
a mile east OF the Splendid new iron
bridge which now spans the James at a
point about the centre of the town of
Gainesville but this being an incon-
venient location the company abandon
ed it, and have recently completed and
occupied splendid new slate-covered
depot Immediately opposite the south
portal Of the bridge. A new road has
been made from the end of the
bridge 10 the depot, the surface of
which is slate-covered, thus doing
away with the mud with which the
people of this county have so long
contended. The depot is so construct
ed that the train dispatcher can sit at
his instrument and see approaching
trains from either east or west. The
facilities for loading and unloading
freight are good, and there are sepa-
rate reception-rooms in the building
for ladies and gentlemen. The neigh
borhood, too, is a very desirable one,
and numbers among its residents the
Stokeses, Seldens, Hobsons, Ruther-
foords, and other prominent citizens.
Colonel Randolph Harrison, State
Commissioner Of Agriculture, also has
a fine farm in this vicinity.
IMPROVEMENTS.
Cutie a number of improvements
have been made or are in contempla-
ton in and around Pemberton. Among
these is an extensive sumac- and bark
mill. which seems TO be doing a good
business, and from which hundreds OF
carloads of freight are shipped an
nually. The change in the depot, too,
seems TO have given an impetus to the
real estate business, fof l learn that
number of lots have been sold near the
depot. and it is expected that they will
be built upon at an early day. There
is also talk of the establishment of an
other manufacturing enterprise.
BIG POULTRY ESTABLISHMENT.
Among these new enterprises is the
extensive poultry establishment of
Fisher Il Oakley. This is located a
short distance from the depot, and COM
prises the necessary buildings for carry
ing on business of this kind. The
Westinghouse is the first building APP
preached. North of this is located the
house for fancy fowls. In length it *
about thirty feet, and is divided into
five compartments. in which are found
high-bred Golden Spangled Polish, Sill
yer Spangled Hamburgs, and Wyan-
dottes and Plymouth Rocks. Near by
is the house for laying stock and sit
tiers. This house was built to accom-
modate 1000 layers. Not far off is the
house for the rearing OF little chicks.
This is a. two-stOry structure,
the entire Eastern exposure being
constructed of glass, so as to secure
warmth for the young birds. In one
end of the building is a room in which
the incubator is placed. As the young
chicks are Matched out they are placed
in their compartments under glass.
This enterprise is only in its infancy as
yet; but, as such enterprises are success
ful in the North, there is no reason
why they should not be doubly 50 in
the South, where the climate is 50 much
more propitious. Mr.. u. II. Oakley,
who has the immediate management OF
the establishment, is from Salem, Va,
and is well known in connection with
the Norfolk and Western and Rich
mond and Allegheny railroads, with
both of which companies he has
lived. The other member of the firm
is Mr.. Z. H. Fisher, of your city, who
was once member Of the staff of the
Dispatch.
THE CROPS.
Our people are hoping for good sea
sons. Though discouraged, they are
not in despair They ploughed and
cultivated their low-lands after three
successive floods last year, and with
a dry fell, it was November, and
even later, before they finished their
seeding. am sorry to say that as yet
the promise of good crop in the
James-river valley is very uncertain.
More anon. PEMBERToH.
One or two of the papers, says the
Philadelphia Times, which forced At
torney-General Garland out of the Cabi-